Except for my head, all of my body was under water. Korami Mopole clung to a wooden part of the boat until a canoe arrived to save her.

A total of 40 bodies have been recovered so far, while 167 people are still missing, according to rescue workers.

Overloading was reported on the boat.

It carried more than 300 passengers and cargo along the River Congo, according to a civil society group involved in rescue efforts.

Michael Busakasa, another survivor of Friday’s tragedy, said that as soon as the boat left the port in Mbandaka on Friday evening, the crew noticed an uneven distribution of weight.

To balance it, they started moving cement bags. However, this did not work. “Immediately the boat started sinking”, he said after a canoe was removed from the boat.

After being in the hospital, Mr. Busakasa, his mother, and sister took their father home.

Fortunately, all survived.

“I don’t know how to swim, but my father, mother, and I were all at the front, at the entrance – that part was still floating and that’s what saved us with help from people who came to our rescue.” Due to the lack of roads in the DR Congo, boats are a common mode of transport.

Nevertheless, boat accidents are frequent due to overloading, lack of maintenance, and night travel.

Life jackets are also not worn by many passengers. According to officials, the boat was sailing at night in violation of safety regulations.

The DR Congo opposition leader and presidential candidate in December, Moise Katumbi, expressed sadness over the incident.